


Thoughts of a Future Poet

by messie2624



Category: The Dragon Prince (Cartoon)
Genre: Gen, My First Work in This Fandom, POV First Person, Poetry mentions, Soren is a Sweetheart
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-06
Updated: 2019-11-06
Packaged: 2021-01-24 06:08:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,633
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21333499
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/messie2624/pseuds/messie2624
Summary: Soren wasn’t lying when I told Claudia that I wanted to be a poet. He was only lying when he said he had only been thinking about it for the last ten minutes. (First Person POV)
Relationships: Callum & Soren (The Dragon Prince), Claudia & Soren (The Dragon Prince)
Kudos: 26





	Thoughts of a Future Poet

I wasn’t lying when I told Claudia that I wanted to be a poet. I was only lying when I said I had only been thinking about it for the last ten minutes. Poetry was something that always fascinated me. Before she left, mom would tell Claudia and I stories of knights and epic battles. The best parts were the poems in them. Mom would always read them in funny voices. She even had a book of poetry that she would read just to me. It was nice to have something for the two of us. Claudia had magic with dad and I had poetry with mom. It was like our thing. It was really nice to have a thing with someone.

For one of my birthdays, she gave me a small collection of my favorite poems that she hand wrote and illustrated herself. It was the best gift she ever gave me. It was also the last. Dad never got it, the whole poetry thing. I told him once when I was younger how much I liked it and he said that men didn’t engage themselves in such endeavors. He told me that combat would be a better use of my time. 

So I started training for the Crown Guard. We learned hand to hand combat and weapons training. I was good at it too! There was a certain rush to it, like ‘whoosh!’ and ‘umph!’ and ‘pow!’, you know? The other soldiers got it. They are an awesome group of people. It felt nice to make Dad proud. I felt like I was missing something after mom left. Poetry was a waste of time, he told me. This was something I could do for my kingdom. And that felt great! I was helping people. This had to be my calling. One day, the king approached me and asked me to train Prince Callum. I was a little bit confused. Why did Callum have to know any of these things? He was a step-Prince, nowhere in the line of succession. But it never hurt to learn how defend yourself. I agreed to his offer. I didn’t want to disappoint the king or dad. I wouldn’t. I couldn’t.

Callum did not get it and it was beyond frustrating. We’d go over maneuvers like a million times but he just didn’t get it. It was beyond simple. The enemy would only have to parry and Callum would be dead. The hand to hand combat wasn’t any better. He has artist hands. He’s very good at drawing. I’d catch a few glimpses of his sketchbook every now and then. I’ve seen him draw pictures of the Prince, Claudia, and the late Queen. I have no idea what he finds so fascinating about my sister that he feels compelled to draw her. I’ll admit, it’s hard not to get a little jealous. He gets to do things I can’t. Combat is something a prince has to be good at and he’s not. It’s not fair that he gets to be creative and I have to repress that part of myself for dad. 

Dad’s been acting weird ever since a scout reported that Moonshadow elves were coming to Katolis. I thought he was just stressed trying to protect the king, but he was still weird even after that. He wanted me to lead the search for the princes and told me to chain Commander Gren in the dungeon. I did what I was told, thinking it would make dad happy. Then he gave me my mission: to return with news that the princes were dead. That didn’t make sense to me. What if I found them and they were alive? Dad told me that accidents happen. I mean, I guess they did… Wait, did he want me to...? No, that couldn’t be right. Without Ezran on the throne, it would go to--oh. That’s why he wanted me to, but could I do it? I had never even killed anyone. Intentionally. In war, it’s either kill or be killed and that’s purely self defense. Could I do it? Dad said that accidents could happen. Accidents weren’t murder. Accidents aren’t murder. 

Claudia and I found the princes. We followed the elf that captured them. Claudia did a spell to put the elf to sleep. I raised my sword, ready to strike, but I couldn’t. She was asleep, that wasn’t fair. Then it turned out the elf wasn’t asleep. So I busted out some of my best moves. You know, for intimidation. 

The elf was not as intimidated as I would’ve thought. “Are we gonna fight or is this a talent show?” 

Oh, we were doing this. 

It was a long and epic battle, and it seemed like I was the superior swordsman. The elf tried to sweep my leg! I keep telling people that its not a thing in swordfighting!

Prince Callum intervened pretty quickly after that. I guess all the noises the elf was making woke him up. I thought Moonshadow elves were supposed to be these nasty assassins. Guess I was wrong. Claudia kept flirting with Callum. It was kinda gross, not gonna lie. The elf thought so too. The only thing we agree on, I guess. I couldn’t understand why the princes had gotten so chummy with this elf. Like I couldn’t get it! Why would they willingly spend time with such a-- It hit me, like a stroke of genius. The elf bit them and now they have Moonshadow Madness! Viggo told me all about it at camp one time. He was really smart, so I knew it had to be true. Claudia laughed at me for it. 

We got to focus on the mission: bringing the princes home, unless a terrible accident were to occur. Accidentally, of course. Claudia didn’t like my stuff-them-in-sacks suggestion. I couldn’t see why. It was one of my best ideas. She thought we should talk to them first, like that would work. Claudia made them magical pancakes and we found that the dragon egg was no longer an egg. It was now a dragon. A tiny dragon. They said they were on a mission to bring the dragon to his mother. A brilliant idea struck, much like a burst of poetic inspiration. 

“You guys do need to come home, because the king, your dad, misses you.”

Callum and Ezran perked up at the mention of the king. Point Soren. Claudia did not look too happy about that. Point lost. And the elf, well, if looks could kill, I’d be dead right now. She’s probably into me. Point Soren, bringing the total back to one. 

While she talked to Callum, I got to hang out with Ezran, who may or may not perish. In an accident. I whipped up a Slidey-Sling Go-Fast-Rope. If I loosened the peg a little, he would maybe accidentally fall. Accidents weren’t murder. 

But accidents are what lead me to my current situation. I saved human lives at the almost expense of a dragon. I should’ve known that the dragon wouldn’t agree with my plans.

Now I can’t move. I can’t walk. And I know it’s not going to get better. That’s for the best. I’m the reason the dragon attacked that town. The dragon attacked because I provoked it People won’t get hurt because of me anymore. I don’t have to carry out my mission to murder the princes. I never wanted to murder anyone. Now I can’t.

I’m not as dumb as everyone probably thinks I am. I can hear what the doctor tells Claudia. My ears do still work. I’m never going to be able to walk again, move again. I let out a shuddering breath at the news, like a giant weight had been lifted off me. I’m… I’m surprisingly okay with that. I’m finally free to do what I want with no expectations from dad, or anyone. My sister comes into my area, trying to be brave for me. I tell her everything. I can tell she doesn’t believe me about my mission from dad. That’s okay. Someday she’ll know I didn’t misunderstand him. Our father can be a cruel man sometimes. 

She shouldn’t worry about me. “I’m going to be a poet, Claudia!” I tell her. “And people will come hear my poems. They’ll come visit me and we’ll drink some kind of... soothing tea. And then, and then I’ll say my latest poems to them.”

She seems unsure of my abilities but I know I can convince her. I think this one I whipped up on the spot is my one of my best poems yet, a haiku at that.

_ Dragon smash boy. Say the good words now. They light the hearts of other people. _

She doesn’t seem that impressed. “It’s a terrible poem!”

I may be a little more out of practice than I thought.

“And it’s not even a haiku!”

It’s not? Were haikus the ones with the syllable thing? 

I hear Claudia scramble around the room, throwing things left and right. The nice staff escorts her out of the room. “He can’t be like this!” I hear her shout. “He can’t even count syllables!”

Ah, so they are the syllable ones. I can work on that. I have plenty of time to do it. I can hear children laughing and birds chirping from outside my window. They’re nice sounds. Maybe I could make a poem about that. Mom always said that the best poems come from the heart. I believe her. For the first time, since the death of the king, maybe even since mom left, I feel at peace. No one expects anything of me. I can be myself for the first time in a long time, possibly ever. That's perfectly fine with me.

**Author's Note:**

> So this has been sitting in my WIPs since Season 2 aired. Glad I finally hammered out a few remaining details before Season 3 comes out. I love poetry and I love Soren and he seems to be the poet type. I hope that y'all enjoyed. Tell me what you guys think of it.


End file.
